Wright Hip Implant Case Settles For $240 Million

The Wright hip implant lawsuit has settled for $240 million. The multi-district litigation suit had more than 1,300 plaintiffs and took more than five years. Plaintiffs allege that they received a Wright hip implant and that the implant failed between five months and eight years after the procedure.

Each plaintiff will receive approximately $170,000 if they had the Conserve Cup. Plaintiffs with the Dynasty or Lineage hip implants will receive approximately $120,000 each. For plaintiffs deemed to have suffered “extraordinary injury,” they will receive access to a fund established by the manufacturer of the Wright hip implant.

History Of The Wright Hip Implant Lawsuit

Before we explain the history behind the Wright hip implant lawsuit, we will explain the defect of the device that led up to it. The Wright hip implant failure was caused by the medical device’s metal on metal design. The impact between the metal pieces caused metal shavings to enter surrounding tissue. The tissue then developed a condition known as metallosis. Metallosis is a condition characterized by inflamed tissue and bone that dissolves as a result of being exposed to the metal on metal design and metal shavings. When the bone dissolved around the Wright hip implant, the implant would fail. The failure of the Wright hip implant led many patients back under the knife along with long-term pain.

Additionally, the FDA received reports related to the Conserve regarding severe pain in the hip and groin and loosening of the device. No recall was issued by the FDA. However, the FDA did release a warning to consumers that the Wright hip implant could cause negative side effects because of its metal on metal design.

One of the first lawsuits against the manufacturer of the Wright hip implant was filed in 2011. Part of his hip implant was made from titanium and he alleged that it broke while he was getting dressed for work. The plaintiff required emergency surgery to remove the metal bits from his body.

In 2013, Wright settled two other lawsuits filed against them. The current set of lawsuits were individual lawsuits that were consolidated in a process referred to as MDL. MDL stands for multi-district litigation. The process is like the handling of a class action lawsuit, but the plaintiffs are still awarded on an individual basis instead of as a group. The purpose behind an MDL is to speed up the handling of the lawsuits.

Fines And Lawsuits Involving The Federal Government

The lawsuit settlement against Wright for their hip implants isn’t their first go ‘round with the legal system. Wright was investigated by the federal government in 2007 and later sued for questionable business practices (including bribing medical professionals into using their products). The company settled without admitting any wrongdoing on their part. They paid $7.9 million in 2011.